Health and Safety Program for Your Workplace
Health and Safety programs are an excellent way for employers to be proactive in creating safe working conditions. These programs help prevent accidents in the workplace and provide companies with a response plan, should accidents occur.
In Saskatchewan, employers with 10 or more workers are required to have a health and safety program in place. If an employer has fewer than 10 workers, there must be a health and safety representative. You are required by law to apply due diligence when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of your workers.
Meaning you will still need documentation meeting the standards set out in OHS legislation. This includes assessment and control of workplace hazards and emergency response plans.
What Should Your Health and Safety Program Include?
When employers are creating a health and safety program for their business, the following 10 core elements should be included:
- Health and safety policy.
- Hazard assessment and control.
- Emergency response plan.
- Statement of OHS responsibilities of the employer, supervisors, and workers at a worksite.
- Schedule and procedures for worksite inspections.
- Procedures for when another employer or self-employed person is working at the worksite.
- Health and safety orientation and training for workers and supervisors.
- Procedures for investigating incidents, injuries, and refusals to work.
- Procedures for worker participation in worksite health and safety, including inspections and investigating incidents, injuries, and refusals to work.
- Procedures for reviewing and revising health and safety programs.
Let us help you create or review your health and safety program. Give us a call today!
Under Saskatchewan’s OHS Act your company’s health and safety program should be reviewed every year. There may be a need for more frequent reviews if new circumstances with the potential to cause hazards to workers arise.
In addition to these health and safety requirements, there are other compliance measures your business should consider. Health & Safety Help is here to support you in this. If you need more information on building your workplace safety policy, details on any occupational health and safety issue, or just have a question, please call us today at 1 (306) 955-0658.